ASSOCIATIONS WELCOME NEW CENTRAL-LOCAL GUIDELINES

The local authority associations have welcomed the prime minister's offer of new guidelines for the relationship be...

The local authority associations have welcomed the prime minister's offer of new guidelines for the relationship between central and local government.

The guidelines were put forward at a meeting at Downing Street between Prime Minister John Major and all the local authority associations from England, Wales and Scotland.

The guidelines say:

- The relationship between central and local government should be conducted in a spirit of partnership and co-operation.

- Central government should foster and support local government and not undermine its legitimacy or public standing. - There should be informal discussions with the local authority associations at the early stages of developing policy affecting local government.

The associations say for their part they will work in partnership with central government to promote good practice and improve the quality of services, as well as ensuring efficient response to government consultation.

Sir Jeremy Beecham, leading the local government representatives, said: 'These guidelines are a sensible step forward in improving relations between central and local government.

'We look forward to the guidelines being implemented by all government departments and local authorities, and trust the message of co-operation and early consultation will be taken seriously by both sides.'

France is often seen as having a political culture in which relations between the centre and localities flourish – in contrast to our centralised state in which politicians are “promoted” out of local government into the Westminster parliament.

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